With Daniel Lippman
Lobbying legend Stephen Ubl will step down as chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America at the end of the year after leading the drugmaker trade group for a decade, PhRMA announced today. Ubl, the top drug lobbyist in the country, announced his move during an unplanned board call this morning, our colleagues Amanda Chu, David Lim and Lauren Gardner report.
— Ubl’s announcement comes as the Trump administration is trying to overhaul drug pricing practices and raising questions about the safety of the industry’s products. The industry has also had to contend with hostility from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz.
— During Ubl’s tenure, PhRMA has spent hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying across the Obama, Biden and Trump administrations, but its lobbyists have worried about their waning influence with the current administration. The White House has largely sidestepped the lobby, choosing instead to negotiate deals directly with pharmaceutical executives. Just this week, President Donald Trump announced new tariffs as high as 100 percent on some name-brand pharmaceuticals.
— Ubl also steered the trade group through the Covid‑19 pandemic, when PhRMA faced scrutiny from lawmakers over pricing for vaccines and treatments for the virus. Before joining PhRMA in 2015, Ubl spent over a decade at the helm of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, the medical device industry’s largest trade lobby.
— Ubl said in a statement that he looks forward to “continuing to support the industry and the patients it serves in the next phase of my career.” He added that he remains “fully committed to advancing PhRMA’s priorities and supporting a strong, seamless transition in the months ahead” in the meantime.
— In a separate statement, Merck CEO Rob Davis, who chairs the PhRMA board, called Ubl “an exceptional leader during one of the most consequential periods for our industry.”
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DOORDASH STAFFS UP ON DRONE LOBBYING: DoorDash is turning to K Street as it looks to expand its drone delivery service. The food delivery behemoth has hired law and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells to lobby on “issues related to unmanned aircraft systems,” according to a registration filed Wednesday. Drone experts Lisa Ellman and Liz Forro will represent DoorDash in its push to bring delivery drones to more cities and metropolitan areas, per the filing.
— Ellman, who leads Hogan Lovells’ Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) practice, has a deep pedigree in the drone world, having co-founded the nonprofit Commercial Drone Alliance. She’s also an Obama administration alum, having served in the executive office of the president and the Justice Department, where she helped lead UAS policy.
— Howell has spent time on the Hill, working for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and at the Federal Aviation Administration, where she worked on drone and emerging aviation policies.
— The new registration comes as DoorDash has expanded its partnership with drone delivery company Wing to Atlanta and Charlotte in recent months. The company is also looking to bring speedy airborne deliveries to the San Francisco Bay Area, where it’s facing backlash from local lawmakers.
IN THE COURTS: A lobbyist arrested last month for allegedly attempting to extort a former client is in plea talks with prosecutors, according to court documents filed Monday. Lawyers for Josh Nass, who was featured in the New York Times days before his arrest, asked a federal judge to delay proceedings until April 27 to “afford the parties time to confer regarding a potential resolution of the case.”
— Nass, the founder of Merkava Strategies, successfully lobbied the White House last year to pardon his client Joseph Schwartz, a former nursing home magnate who was serving a three-year sentence in federal prison for tax crimes. Prosecutors have not named the target of Nass’ alleged extortion attempt, but Reuters reported the effort to intimidate a client into paying $500,000 owed for lobbying services was aimed at Schwartz and one of his sons.
— Schwartz previously told Nass he didn’t have the $500,000 and Schwartz’s son asked for a payment plan, which Nass considered an “insult,” according to charging documents. Prosecutors allege that in January, Nass hired a convicted felon to do “anything and everything” required to make Schwartz and his son pay up. Nass has not yet entered a plea.
SQUIRE GOES SOVEREIGN: Squire Patton Boggs today announced the launch of the firm’s sovereign advisory group, a centralized practice focused on providing foreign government clients with financial, legal and public policy advisory services.
— The firm will bring on Jill Dauchy, leader of Potomac Group, as a senior adviser. Dauchy will work with the Squire Patton Boggs team while continuing in her role as CEO of the boutique sovereign debt advisory firm she founded in 2018.
— “Sovereigns are fundamentally different from corporate clients, and they require advice that reflects the full complexity of the public sector,” Dauchy said in a statement. “Squire Patton Boggs brings unmatched legal, policy and global reach, while Potomac Group contributes deep experience in sovereign finance and economic strategy.”
AI INDUSTRY BACK 5 DEMS: Leading the Future, which coordinates the AI industry’s $125 million super PAC network, is backing five House Democrats ahead of the midterms, our colleague Brendan Bordelon scoops in Morning Tech.
— Leading the Future is supporting Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) and Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.).
— “Gottheimer and Liccardo are both moderate, pro-business Democrats seen as close to the tech sector … LTF’s support for Clarke is something of a surprise,” Brendan writes. “The New York Democrat consistently backed new regulations on the AI industry — including through her Algorithmic Accountability Act, a bill that would place new rules on how companies deploy AI in ‘high-impact’ areas like housing, credit and education.”
— “Subramanyam recently worked with Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) — a favorite of the AI industry — to introduce the Small AI Innovators Empowerment Act, legislation that would direct federal agencies to study challenges faced by small AI businesses,” Brendan adds. “Gomez does not appear to have a significant footprint in AI debates on Capitol Hill. But he received significant amounts of money in previous races from Fairshake, a pro-cryptocurrency super PAC at which Vlasto serves as a spokesperson.”
— The group’s co-founder Josh Vlasto, a former staffer for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, wouldn’t tell Morning Tech how these five lawmakers were chosen, but promised support to other Democrats going forward.
— Danielle Finley Yosif has joined the Department of Education as chief of staff in the office of the general counsel. She most recently served as associate director of political engagement for the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.
— Jeremiah Kelly and Justin Coen have joined Faegre Drinker as partners focused on the FDA in the firm’s government and regulatory affairs practice. They were previously partners at Venable.
— Peter Saba has joined Baker Botts as a senior counsel. He was most recently acting general counsel at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
— Carrie Healey has joined the National Association of Broadcasters as vice president of communications. She most recently worked at Purple Strategies, where she served as a client engagement lead.
— Drew Florio has joined News Corp as senior director of federal government affairs. He was most recently a senior vice president at CGCN Group.
— Bob Marcum has joined BRG as a managing director in its Energy & Climate practice. He was most recently a managing director at FTI Consulting.
— Monica Day has joined the Public Affairs Council as a senior manager in its political affairs practice. She was most recently at the American Hospital Association. Sam Kasner also joined the Public Affairs Council, as manager of events; she was most recently at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
— Will Gordon has joined Manatt’s health care group as a senior adviser, per Morning Pulse. He was recently the chief informatics officer at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.
— Leo Wise is joining the American Economic Liberties Project as a visiting senior fellow focused on anti-corruption. He previously worked at the Department of Justice where he served on the team that prosecuted Hunter Biden.
— Winston & Strawn has added Anne Murray and Guy Singer as partners in the firm’s white collar and government investigations practice. They were most recently partners at McDermott Will & Schulte.
None.
California Democracy Alliance (Super PAC)
DRH Leadership PAC (Leadership PAC: Heavenly Kimes)
Elect Dem Majority (PAC)
Fight Fascism (Hybrid PAC)
Keep it Alaska PAC (Super PAC)
Launch PAC (Leadership PAC: Jason Gibbs)
Making Congress Great Again PAC (Super PAC)
Protecting Wyoming Values (Super PAC)
Restore America’s Mission (RAM) PAC (Super PAC)
Tennessee Stand PAC (Super PAC)
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Webb County, Texas
Alston & Bird LLP: Curie Bio Operations, LLC
Ark Strategy: Fivecast Pty Ltd
AxAdvocacy Government Relations: Coalition For Child Protection & Accountability
AxAdvocacy Government Relations: Strata Critical
AZ DC Consulting, LLC: Pipeline AZ
AZ DC Consulting, LLC: Stone Solutions And Research Collective
Barnes & Thornburg, LLP: Sinai Health System
Barnes & Thornburg, LLP: Toshiba America, Inc.
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC: The RiteScreen Company, LLC
Capitol Precision Strategies: Loft Federal
Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Aurelius Systems, Inc.
C. Baker Consulting, Inc.: Owt Global
C. Baker Consulting, Inc.: Pison Technologies
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Blueprint Biosecurity Action
Electus Governmental Affairs: Lower Cape Fear Water And Sewer
Electus Governmental Affairs: Morehead City
Electus Governmental Affairs: One Place
Electus Governmental Affairs: Town of Benson
Elevanta, LLC: Elevanta, LLC
Ellen Fern: Native Forward Scholars Fund
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP: American Academy of Neurology
Government Relations Group, LLC: NextNRG Inc
Grayrobinson Pa: Habitat For Humanity Lake Sumter, Florida
Grayrobinson Pa: Simetri
Grayrobinson Pa: Surface Tech LLC
Health And Medicine Counsel, LLC: Alpha-1 Foundation
Health And Medicine Counsel, LLC: Coalition For Hemophilia B
Health And Medicine Counsel, LLC: Gaucher Community Alliance
Health And Medicine Counsel, LLC: The Ree Wynn Foundation
Health And Medicine Counsel, LLC: Voices Against Brain Cancer
H&M Strategies LLP: Dropbox
Hogan Lovells US LLP: DoorDash, Inc.
Holland & Knight LLP: Arkenstone Defense, Inc.
Holland & Knight LLP: Clark Street Associates On Behalf of Lightpath Technologies
Holland & Knight LLP: Hoegh Autoliners Asa
Holland & Knight LLP: J Westling & Co., LLC
Holland & Knight LLP: Trapac, LLC
Hooper, Lundy & Bookman, P.C.: American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP: Fairfax County Water Authority
Icebreaker Strategies, LLC: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
J.A. Green And Company (Formerly LLC): Arktos
King And Co: UPL NA Inc
Leblanc Government Relations, LLC: Desimone Consulting Group on behalf of the Museum of Flight (WA)
Lobbyit.Com: American Council of Academic Physical Therapy
Niche Consulting Firm LLC (Formerly Known As) Ms. Tanisha Lewis: Trans Americas Fiber System
Pioneer Public Affairs: MP Materials Corp.
S-3 Group: Novo Nordisk, Inc.
The Artemis Group, LLC (Oklahoma): Firehawk Aerospace Inc.
The Bernhardt Group LLC: The Cure Coalition
The Dionne Company: Cabana Mental Health
The Dionne Company: Exodus Road
The DLM Group: Mark Blackburn
The DLM Group: Will Hughes
The Wayfinder Group: Goodwill Hawaii
The Wayfinder Group: Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development And Tourism
The Wayfinder Group: Kahuku Medical Center
The Wayfinder Group: Partners In Development Foundation
The Wayfinder Group: Research Corporation of The University of Hawaii
Tiber Creek Group: Aeva Technologies, Inc.
Tiber Creek Group: Zurich American Insurance Company
Torridon Law Pllc: Silverleafe Cotton Tracing
W Strategies, LLC: Dyne Therapeutics, Inc.
Xla Advisors, LLC: Quantinuum LLC
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Merlin International, Inc.
Covenant Government Affairs, LLC: Analex Corporation DBA Arcfield
Covenant Government Affairs, LLC: Skeyeon, Inc.
Defazio And Associates Consulting LLC: Animal Wellness Action
Defending Our Country, LLC: Tezzeract, Inc.
Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.: Telix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Holland & Knight LLP: LightPath Technologies
J.A. Green And Company (Formerly LLC): GKN Aerospace
J.A. Green And Company (Formerly LLC): Natures Toolbox, Inc.
Law Offices of Frederick H. Graefe, PLLC: Encompass Health
Marla Grossman LLC: ACG Advocacy OBO Partnership for the U.S. Life Science Ecosystem (Pulse)
MWMurray Consulting LLC: Better World Campaign
Prime Policy Group: Allina Health
River Public Affairs Group: Salem Media Group
The Roosevelt Group: Exthera Medical Corporation
The Russell Group, Inc.: National Thoroughbred Racing Association
The Russell Group, Inc.: Novozymes North America Inc.
